Historic Lock Keeper’s Cottage to be Demolished?

The owners of Stone Lock Cottage, which is part of Beeston Stone Lock (a Grade II Listed Structure) on the Shropshire Union Canal, applied for planning permission last year to demolish this historic lock keeper’s cottage and replace it with a modern dwelling.

This section of the Shropshire Union Canal is within a conservation ‘corridor’, and in 2018 the cottage was included in the ‘Chester Canal Conservation Area Character Appraisal’ (Ellesmere Port to Nantwich) under “suggestions of buildings/structures to be locally listed” along with Hoole Lane Lock Cottage and Bate’s Mill Cottage, amongst many others.

The planning application relating to the two bed cottage, which last sold in July 2019 for £255,000, includes the following description: “Demolition of existing building and erection of replacement dwelling and detached garage with granny annexe above.”

This planning application, which is currently marked as ‘Awaiting decision’, can be viewed on Cheshire West & Chester Council’s planning portal reference 22/04592/FUL. Revised drawings and an ecology report have been added this month.